I started my first company at age 17, and I want to share the story of how I was fired from it.
It was a precious metals business. At my first full-time job, I had so much talent (it might have been my calling) that after just two months, someone invited me with:
"I'm starting a business, want to join?"
All four founding members were older than me and more skilled. By 18, my executive compensation exceeded 1 million yen per month. I entered a "golden period" where I genuinely believed:
"This company can't run without me."
But shortly after, I entered a dark period. The cause? While hearing seniors discuss "strengthening the team," I laughed internally, thinking, "What is this bunch of cowards talking about?"
As a teenager who knew nothing about management, I rushed hiring because I dreamed of money coming in without working, and even said, "Do you not intend to make a big splash here?"
Naturally, they hated me.
But I couldn't admit it. By then, I was already "rotten." People do rot. With garbage-like thought patterns, they act righteous while justifying themselves and attacking others.
The typical phrase they use is: "They don't understand anything." You know people like that, right? That's what a rotten person looks like.
When I posted this previously, it got 3,700 likes. Replies saying "I've seen this" or "We have people like this too" didn't stop. Everyone has witnessed it.
So today, let's dig a little deeper into this "structure of rotting."
After observing many people who began to "rot," I realized something. It doesn't happen when ability fails to keep up, but rather when:
"Pride overtakes ability."
In short, it's "Pride Debt." Here is the formula:
Pride Debt = Pride − Ability
In your 20s: Ability 10, Pride 12. Debt 2. This is good debt, like a mortgage. As long as "I can do more" drives you, it's healthy. Debt with a repayment plan fosters growth.
In your 30s: Ability 15, Pride 30. Debt 15. Unpayable. Their catchphrase becomes "I deserve more recognition." But their ability is only 15. Yet they believe it's 30, so they reject the evaluation of 15. This is dangerous. Really dangerous.
Here's why: This debt compounds. The longer you ignore it, the higher the cost of facing reality. So you pretend not to see it. Pretending becomes a habit. This is where rotting begins.
Moreover, the person genuinely believes:
"I'm not rotten. The people around me are just low-level."
Because of this, no one can stop them. It's the same structure as someone borrowing from a loan shark and claiming, "I'm rich." It's not funny, but I see it often enough to laugh.
There are only two ways to repay:
① Increase ability
② Lower pride
...However, those with massive debt cannot do ②. Lowering pride itself is impossible due to the pride debt. Checkmate. Truly checkmate. An infinite loop where debt breeds debt. Interest rates that would shock loan sharks.
People drowning in debt always say things you've likely heard:
"My boss doesn't get it."
"The environment is bad."
"This level of work isn't for me."
All of these are interest payments on pride.
Excuses for avoiding reality pile up monthly. And the demand letters come from within yourself, so you can't consult anyone. I think this is the most malicious financial product in the world.
The 18-year-old me was exactly this.
Time for the answer key.
The moment I thought, "What is this bunch of cowards talking about?", I was already deep in debt. Unable to repay a single yen, I was fired. A natural end. In fact, I'm grateful to the seniors who fired me. If I had stayed, things would have been much worse.
So, how do you avoid rotting? The conclusion is simple: "Change who you compare yourself to." That's it.
Rotten people feel secure by looking down on others. They maintain pride by thinking, "At least I'm better than him." This is a cringe move—like a traveler constantly searching for someone below them. I really dislike such people.
But interestingly, this is a debt that collapses the moment others grow. Trying to repay debt using other people's grades means you'll never succeed. Once you rot, it's over.
If you're troubled by such people, let's rejoice together.
Conversely, simply changing your comparison target to "your past self" stops the interest.
"Am I doing more than last year?"
"Have I grown in at least one way compared to three months ago?"
So there is a solution. Just this. Your past self is always below your current self, so comparing doesn't increase debt. Instead, you feel, "Ah, I am repaying." It's modest, but probably the only way to pay off pride debt.
...By the way, I realized this six months after being fired. For six months, I thought, "They were the problem." It took half a year to finally realize:
"Oh, I was the one who was rotten."
I wish I had known sooner.
…FIN
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